Apple’s next-generation M3 Max could feature a staggering 16-core CPU and 40 GPU cores. A third-party Mac developer spotted the chip in test logs running inside a high-end MacBook Pro.
This new high-end Apple silicon should find its way inside the 2024 MacBook Pro. It should also power other high-end Macs due to launch in 2024.
M3 Max to power high-end 2024 MacBook Pro
The Bloomberg report also claims the next high-end MacBook Pro could feature 48GB RAM. You can configure the 2023 MacBook Pros with 32GB, 64GB, and 96GB of RAM.
For comparison, the M2 Max ships with a 12-core CPU and a 38-core GPU. So, even if everything else remains constant, the additional CPU and GPU cores on the M3 Max alone should enable significant performance improvements. Apple will likely use newer CPU and GPU cores on the M3 for further performance gains.
Just a day before, details of the entry-level M3 chip popped up online, packing eight CPU cores and a 10-core GPU. TSMC should fabricate Apple’s M3 lineup of chips on its latest 3nm process node. This will allow the Cupertino giant to make the chips much more denser while improving their efficiency.
The M3 Max chip should appear inside the 2024 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro and Mac Studio.
Apple must also be working on the M3 Ultra, which will fuse two M3 Max SoCs together for even better performance.
High-end M3 Pro/Max Macs won’t arrive before late 2024
While Apple is already working on M3 Pro/Max, the Macs featuring these chips won’t launch soon. The 13-inch MacBook Air and Pro are the first to get the M3 Apple silicon. They could arrive in October this year, though a Q1 2024 release seems more plausible. This should be followed by other Macs in the company’s lineup transitioning to the faster SoC throughout 2024.
